Improvement in snow-plows



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. G OOKE. SNOW-PLOW. No. 183,141. Patented oct.1o.1s7e.

WITNESSES TH E GRAPHIC CLNC 2r Sheets-Sheet 2. W. COOKE.

SNOW-PLOW. NL 183,141l Patented 0ct.10.1876.

TM E GRAPHIC CILILY device.

" UNITED STATES PATENT EEIGE WILLIAM COOKE, OF MORRISVILLE, VERMONT,ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND HENRY A. BUZZELL, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SNOW-PLOWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 183,141, dated Octoberl0, 1876; application filed July 1, 1876.

To all' whom lit may concern:

Beit known that I, WiLLIAM COOKE, of Morrisville, in the county ofLamoille and State of Vermont, have invented a new and ImprovedSnow-Plow, of which the following is -a specification:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 rep'- resents a verticallongitudinal section on line a; x, Fig. 2, of my improved snowlplow Fig.2, a top view 5 and Fig. 3, a vertical transverse section of the same,on line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a portion of the front view,showing the snow-plows hung to the cross head by means of eyebolts andsliding rod.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of my invention is to furnish, for railroad purposes, animproved snow-plow, by which the track is kept clear of ice and snow ina reliable manner, the plow being run in connection with freight orpassenger trains, so as to keep the track in order without the tediousshoveling of the same by sections.

The invention consists of a car with snowplows, hung in an adjustablemanner to both ends, and being operated by a suitable lever The plowsare fitted to the rail with tips extending below the top of the rail.The

track is cleared of ice by means of springacted concave cutters orknives, that are applied to a suitable frame, and raised or lowered by alever device.

In the drawing, A represents a car-truck of suitable size, which iscoupled at any suitable part of a passenger or freight train, and runwith the same over the track after a fall of snow. The couplings areapplied to a strong center-beam, running through below the truckframe,which is provided with a guard-railing to admit the ready passing overthe plow-car, and the setting of the parts of the same to the track. Atboth ends of the truck are hung to rigidly braced cross-heads B, andeyebolts C, the plows yD, by means of the bars C', which slide in thelooped lower ends of the eyebolts, and which pass through, and aresecured to, the beam B', to which the plows are attached, said plowsbeing built to the gage of the road and attached to shoes D.

The plows are shod with iron, tipped with steel, and extended tosuitable width at both sides of the rail, the inner plow being Wider anddipped more below the top of the rail than the outer plow. The shoes Drun on the top of the rails, and the plows at both sides of the'same, soas to clear the track effectively of snow. The mold-boards E are placedat a short angle, so that the snow is conducted at any speed of thetrain to the outside of the rail and prevented from falling back on therail.

The plows are set to the track by means of the eyebolts and screw-nuts,the raising of the bolts giving the plows more dip, while the loweringof the same decreases the angle of inclination to the track. They swingreadily on the eyebolts, and are so adj usted that when they come incontact with any frozen dirt or ice they will lift and run over itwithout breaking the plows.

The lateral shoe-connecting piece is connected by rigid arms a andpivoted lever-rods b, with a triangular fulcrum, d, to which alever-rod, e, forked at the ends, is pivoted at one end, while itsopposite end is applied to an operating lever, F, that is guided alongan arc-shaped arm, F', and retained by a pawl. f, in notches of theguide-arm,when the plows are lifted to go over a crossing, frog, orswitch. A chain, f', of pawl f, releases the lever when the plows are tobe dropped onto the rails for Work. The plows are connected by chains tothe lower part ofthe truck, which chains take up the strain withoutthrowing it on the eyebolts. The lever and the forked rod connectingwith the fnlcrum may be readily shifted from one end of the car to theother, to be used with the plows in going as well as returning. Thelever is operated from the platform of the adjoining passenger-car, whenthe snow-plow is run with a passengertrain, but in freight-trains thelevers have to be placed on the truck, and a suitable cab or protectionarranged for the attendant. At the center of the car-frame A areverticallysliding posts G, with a number of cuttingknives, G1, firmlybolted to the lower ends.

The sliding pieces G are connected at the upper ends by a lateral pieceor rod, G2, to which the f'ulcrumed lever H is applied, by which theknives are either raised or lowered, as required. The knives or cuttersGr1 are con. caved at the lower end and at the sides, so as to drawdownward on the rail. They are pressed down on the rail by suitablesprings g that bear on the lateral top piece G2. The ice-cutters areconnected by draft-chains at both sides to the under side of' thecar-frame. The lever of the ice-cutters may be retained by a fasteningchain or link when the cutters are not required for use.

The plowcar is carried with the rst train, after a fall of snow, andsweeps the track clear of snow and ice in an economical and perfectmanner, dispensing with the time-consuming shoveling by sections.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The draw-bar of a car-truck, having its extremityv Tshapcd, andprojecting beyond the front of the platform or frame so as to form asupport for a suspended plow, as shown and described.

2. Snow-plows adjustable to both sides of rail, and throwing the snowclear of track, substantially as set forth.

3. Snow-plows hun g to cross-head, eyebolts, and sliding rod, wherebycurves may be turned and both rails cleaned, in the manner

